My Hair, The History

2011-10-06T10:10:00.000-07:00

This has been the hardest part of the journey for me. I mean, who doesn't use shampoo? Admitting shampoo was a big part of my problem was when I really had to come to terms with the fact that I wasn't "normal" and had "an issue".

My somewhat brief hair history is that I was experiencing some pretty intense scalp problems in the spring of 2009 that I knew would need a consultation with my doctor to remedy. She deemed my problem a severe case of Seborrheic Dermatitis and sent me home with a prescription shampoo (Ketoconazole) to treat it. And treat it, it did. I alternated it with my normal shampoo (Nexus Therappe), although it burned like fire and took several months to clear up. But I was happy until it came back a few months later, around the fall of 2009. Since I figured I knew what the problem was I decided to try some over the counter shampoos. I tried the Neutrogena T-Gel Extra-Strength. It helped, and didn't burn as badly as the Ketoconazole but it didn’t go away.

In the spring of 2010 is when I ran across this random article on common skin irritants and put two and two together. I decided to try some more natural shampoos so see how that would affect my symptoms. I went to Whole Foods, my local natural foods store, and selected a shampoo without Sodium Laurel Sulfate, what I thought seemed like the most likely target from the original and subsequent articles I read. It helped a lot as the burning and rash went away but the itchies and flakiness were still there. I went back and chose another shampoo without the SLS and this time without Cocamidopropyl Betaine as well as without some other preservatives and brag-worthy ingredients on the bottle. Again, good results, but no “perfect” scalp. In the meantime I had also been cutting out all hair products (goodbye hairspray, mousse, shine serum, leave-in conditioners....) that could be skewing results.

I got my doctor to refer me to a dermatologist to discuss what I had been experiencing. The dermatologist agreed with the likeliness of chemical sensitivities and recommended California Baby Shampoo as being about the most gentle shampoo on the market, along with with some steroid cream to clear up the scalp irritation. I started using the shampoo right after Thanksgiving in 2010 and was very happy with the California Baby for quite a while, but was still nagged by minor itchiness.

That’s when in May of 2011 I decided to take a big step and go No Poo (no shampoo, as I researched it via the internet). I have been Very Happy with the results. It has been over 4 months now and I am no longer plagued with scalp issues of any sort. And the most amazing thing: my fine, limp, lifeless blond hair has suddenly perked up. It’s healthier looking, fuller and, get this, curly! Back when I was using shampoo, styling products and curling irons, I’d always strived to make my hair appear fuller and wavy and I’m left with exactly what I’d always wanted when I give them up. Kind of ironic, don't you think?

Beginnings

2011-09-23T07:22:00.000-07:00

I’d been infatuated with the idea of “Going Green” for a while but being a young, busy mom of 3 it had to come easy and be fun. So I set about getting those cute, little reusable bags for going shopping, choosing a metal waterbottle that I felt well expressed me, getting all those fun, reusable lunch bags and containers for the kids’ school lunches, collecting rain water in barrels to water my plants, composting food scraps in a spherical composter and the like. So I think I’m pretty fabulous, being all trendy and environmental.

In the meantime, I was having some skin issues. It starts with a dry, itchy, flaking, burning scalp, but I’m noticing other problems: my hands are so dry they are bleeding, my deodorant is burning my armpits, I’m so itchy at night that I can’t sleep for all the discomfort and my teeth had gotten so sensitive I was dreading the dentist for fear of all the cavities I was imagining. But all in all, I’m “fine”: the doctor gives me a prescription shampoo and tells me I have dry, sensitive skin; the dentist tells me I’m cavity-free but says my gums are receding and tells me to brush gently with Sensodyne toothpaste. So I follow their instructions, lather on the lotions, run humidifiers 24/7 and drink lots of fluids to give myself some relief.

And it all helped. Kind of. The shampoo, while it burned like fire, helped the problem as long as I kept using it. The Sensodyne also helped the teeth sensitivity, but not the gum problem which wasn’t getting better as the dentist expected. What with all the lotions and water, it helped, but my hands were truly suffering as I was always washing it off and I was still generally itchy. After trying some over the counter shampoos with minimal results I got my doctor to refer me to a dermatologist for the scalp problems.

While waiting for the dermatologist appointment I randomly ran across an article about common beauty products that trigger allergies. It really struck a chord with me, particularly since I had noticed that my scalp irritation started after my normal shampoo had changed formulations. I started experimenting with natural shampoos. Immediately the burn went away and the flakiness improved. I mentioned this when I finally had my dermatologist appointment. She hooked me up with some steroids to clear up the problem and recommended some gentle shampoos to use.

The gentle shampoo (California Baby Shampoo is the one that was recommended as most gentle) helped so much that I wondered what would happen if I started eliminating harsh products in other aspects of my skin. I started using castile soap to wash my hands and my hands immediately improved, no moisturizing necessary. Natural toothpastes had the same effect as the Sensodyne. Switching to a free & clear laundry detergent had the most dramatic effect, though: I suddenly didn’t itch at night anymore and found myself magically being able to sleep through the night. Pure bliss.

I was disappointed to find that while many natural products greatly helped my skin, I never really found full relief until I eliminated many common, everyday products. I have also been developing new symptoms including rashes and burns from products I had been previously using without problem. I have found much success in making many of my own beauty and subsequently household products from simple ingredients I have in my kitchen and am very happy to be able to step away from all the chemicals our society has come to depend on and revisit the tried and true things that our ancestors relied upon for centuries. Now I’m not being “Green” for the environment or even trendiness but to take care of my body and it’s health.

It feels good be able to take charge of something that often makes me feel helpless in controlling. I am starting this blog to chronicle and explore some of my experiences and challenges and record some of my progresses, resources and recipes.

Sensitive Girl

My Hair, The History

Beginnings